Small bodies belie the power of Jumping Spiders, an amazing group of hunters that go above and beyond what others can do.

Jumping Spiders are in the Salticidae family. "Salto" in Latin means leap, or jump as seen in dancing. These tiny, sometimes hairy spiders jump up onto insect prey or objects that provide better line-of-sight. They jump over obstacles, sometimes landing on people, dogs and other stationary objects between them and a hunting ground. They jump away from threats. The distances they cover in one leap are extraordinary considering their size. They are credited with keen eyesight and curiosity, often staring back at the humans observing them.

They are not aggressive and do not set out to bite people. They are active hunters and are more interested in moving on to an area that may offer a meal. They are commonly found on the ground outside in leaf litter and lawns. They wander indoors and onto sofas, where they seem to creep up on unsuspecting humans watching television. They are considered harmless though, and they often 'transfer' their magnificent leaping ability to supremely startled humans.

Basic Information

Common Name: Jumping Spider

Scientific Name:Various spp.

Category: Spider

General Identification

Size (Adult; Length): 4mm to 9mm (0.16in to 0.35in)

Identifying Colors: orange, white

Additional Descriptors: fast, furry, hairy, jumping, leaping, eyes

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Arthropoda

Class:Arachnida

Order:Araneae

Family:Salticidae

Genus:Various

Species:spp.

Spider Anatomy (Typical)

1

Legs: Spiders have four pairs of legs and these are attached to the cephalothorax.

2

Pedipalps: Small appendages near the mouth used as taste and smell organs.

3

Cephalothorax: Contains eyes, head, mouthparts, and legs.

4

Abdomen: Contains various organs related to digestion, reproduction, and web-making.

5

Spinnerets: Used in the production of spider silk for fashioning webs or catching prey.

NOTE: Unlike insects, spiders have both an endoskeleton (internal) and exoskeleton (external).

Territorial Reach (A-to-Z)

Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed below as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections below indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.

The map below showcases (in red) the states and territories of North America where the Jumping Spider may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data can be useful in seeing concentrations of a particular species over the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some species are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America.